U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,968 to Johnson et al. discloses a surface treating tool providing for easy installation of the surface treating article. The surface treating article has adhered thereto a drive button that engages a complementary cylindrical opening in a drive assembly comprising a backup pad which is driven by a driving means. The adhesively-bonded drive button provides for quick and easy attachment and removal of surface treating elements without special mounting tools. A similar fastening system incorporated in various embodiments of integrally molded brushes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,067, "Molded Abrasive Brush," (Johnson et al); and WIPO International Patent Application No. WO96/33638, "Abrasive Brush and Filaments," (Johnson et al.).
Surface conditioning discs having a threaded male button bonded to the back side of the disc by an adhesive are available commercially as Roloc.TM. surface conditioning discs from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn. Coated abrasive discs including a threaded male button bonded to the back are also available. These surface conditioning discs have on the front side a conformable, three-dimensional non-woven open web material formed of synthetic fibers and abrasive particles. This web is needle tacked to an open weave scrim backing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,453 to Legacy et al. describes abrasive articles which comprise a lofty non-woven web needle tacked to a woven backing and impregnated with resin and abrasive.
Although the commercial success of the attachment system of Roloc.TM. abrasive articles has been impressive, it is desirable to further improve the attachment system.